Photo Essay: Mare Milk in the Jailoo

Kumis, fermented mare’s milk, is the traditional beverage of Kyrgyzstan. It is slightly alcoholic and allegedly will keep you strong and healthy and cure you of all your ills. It will also keep you quite regular, if you know what I mean. The drink is sour and slightly smoky, and takes some getting used to… but if you’re ever in rural Kyrgyzstan and have the chance to try kumis straight from the mare, you should definitely jump at the opportunity.

While spending a weekend in the mountains with my boss and her family, I met an elderly couple, distant relatives of my boss who reside nearher summer yurt. The man was 87 and the woman was 78. They both continue to live in the jailoo and care for livestock as they have for all of their lives. They invited us to come with them to watch them milk their horses and prepare kumis. They care for a small herd of horses, and had perhaps 20 mares and at least 10 foals. The man would lead a foal to its mother and allow it to nurse briefly. Then, as he led the foal away, the woman would begin milking the mare. They did this with every mare/foal pair, then invited us into their home to sample the kumis. The fresh milk was added to a large barrel of fermenting kumis, then stirred briskly. We were each poured a small bowl of the drink. It was good, but the sourness of the beverage made it difficult for us to drink quickly. Meanwhile, the man had an incredibly large bowl of kumis which, to our astonishment, he chugged in one gulp.